Full of Grace
by Angellufy
Summary: Angel asked for time to be turned back because of the Mohra's words. What he did may grant him and other people more then he thought possible.
1. IWRY

**I know I am not updating my stories as I should. Eheeheheheh… right now I am writing new chaps for all of them so I can update all at once. However, I read this fic in which… well, can't say… and this idea kept nagging and I really really really had to put it down on words.**

**Enjoy!**

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"No. I'll never forget. I'll never forget. I'll never forget. I'll never forget."

Angel felt a strong nausea taking over him. He wanted to growl, to scream his pain, but he couldn't. He had to stay strong because Buffy was falling apart in his arms. Then, he saw as a white light started forming around them. He closed his eyes and held Buffy as strongly as he could so he could have her body imprinted in his arms for when she was not around anymore. Suddenly, he realized he was back, leaning against his desk. He blinked a few times trying to wrap his mind on the fact that time indeed was turned. He looked to the door and Buffy was standing there.

"So, then let's just stick to the plan. Keep our distance until a lot of time has passed, and given enough time - we should be able to.."

Angel stared at Buffy and swallowed hard.

"Forget."

"Yeah. So… I'm gonna go… start… forgetting."

Buffy had just turned around when the Mohra came crashing through the window behind Angel with a scream.

"Angel!"

Angel turned around, grabbed the clock from his desk and coolly smashed the Mohra's jewel with it. The Mohra went up in a flash of light. Buffy blinked and looked slightly stunned at Angel.

"That was unreal. How did you know how to kill it?"

"It's a Mohra demon. I… I had a lot of time to catch up on my reading."

Buffy nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Okay. So I guess we've covered it, right?"

"I guess we did."

"And that's all there really is to say."

Angel took a deep breath and looked down on the smashed clock, which had stopped at 9:02. When he turned back Buffy was already leaving the outer office.

"Yeah. That's it."

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Outside, Buffy Sat in her mother's car and breathed hard. She tried to swallow her pain and turn on the car. Then, one sob made it out, then another, and another, and another.

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Angel slowly made his way downstairs, feeling drained of all energy. When he arrived to his apartment, he looked at the kitchen table, his bed and the tears he was bravely holding came. He knew in his heart that he had done the right thing. He said to The First that he would rather die than allow anything to happen to Buffy. He said he would die for her. Today he did. He killed his human self so Buffy could live.

He was sad, he would grieve, but he didn't regret his decision. She would be alive and that was what was important to him. To protect her was his first mission in his guest for redemption, but to love her was his unique prize in his existence. He would cherish the memories he had of the woman he loved and he would honor her. He would find the strength to go on.

Angel was sitting in the same chair he had sat before when they were talking… before they had thrown the whole mature talk away. He had his elbow on the table and his arms up holding his head, when the room suddenly got brighter.

He looked up to see the Female Oracle looking at him.

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"Warrior."

She could feel how certain the warrior was of his decision. Contrary to her brother, she was still able to get surprised by human ability to do selfless acts. Yes, this low life-form could destroy one another for the lowest reasons, but they could let themselves be destroyed to save others and do not regret it.

She regarded Angel curiously. This vampire was a walking contradiction. Vampires were demons of earth. They could only exist in dimensions with humans because they were their meals and their way to perpetuate their species. Then, this vampire came. He was one of the worst once. Then, the demon was cursed with the soul. The soul was so distraught by the demon's actions using his body that it was a sure thing he would destroy himself.

The Powers didn't pay attention to everything that goes around the Universe, except when it caused great disturbance on the magic surrounding the dimensions. They became aware that great magic was summoned on Earth and that magic meddled with the energy surrounding souls. One soul was called on back on Earth. The said soul was not in Heaven, but between planes of existence.

When they sent their messengers to find out, they discovered the tale of the Vampire cursed with a soul. And they got interested. Such an unheard off use of magic. Who would not be interested?

The Powers knew of the prophecies on a demon with a soul who would play an important part in the Apocalypse. However, the prophecy didn't say which part he would play for. And every supreme power in the Universe knew so and got interested in the vampire with a soul. The Powers, The Brethen of Light, The First and Wolfram and Hart to name a few.

The Powers didn't understand how a demon could do good. They thought the soul would destroy the being from the shame for what was done with his body. They waited because they knew that neither W&H nor The First had the means to touch the demon. They watched because they firmly believed nothing would come out of that, but they really got the surprise of their existences.

He tried to go back to his vampire family, but his conscience would not leave him do what was expected of one of his kind. He finally fled. That got The Powers attention. The soul left his comfort zone to live alone. The soul accepted the punishment given to him for another's crimes. The Powers started to respect that human soul and over the decades the respect just increased. The Soul was strong. The vampire went on instead of killing himself. He helped some along eight decades, but them he retreated when he couldn't control his demon and drank from a dying man after a robbery he witnessed.

Two decades later, when the blonde slayer was called, The Powers felt Evil stirring. The First was unsettled by the calling of the blonde slayer, which The Powers found strange, given the fact they expected her to be not that good since she didn't grow inside The Council watching. The slayer had a family, friends and a life. She never knew of her childbirth right until she was called. She would fail for sure. Of course, much later they got yet again surprised with another lower being on Earth.

Ignoring their misconceptions on the new slayer, they felt that if The First was worried on this particular slayer, then she was important. She had to have more than her Watcher. They debated on which supernatural being could help of course. It had to be supernatural, but from which dimension? That was when one of The Powers suggested Angel could help. After a debate on yet again the Soul qualities, they decided to give the filthy demon living of rats in the streets of New York a chance. Whistler was then summoned to talk with the demon living on the streets and offer him a choice.

They couldn't control everything and men had free will. They couldn't force this demon to do good if he didn't want to, but the demon accepted it. Partially because he wanted to help, but also because he had fallen in love with the then frail china doll soon to be the slayer. That surprised The Powers, mainly because there was a prophecy on warriors of light and dark coming together. So, they waited to see what would happen. Could the vampire with a soul and the slayer, mortal enemies, be the ones of the prophecy. The ones that could stand victorious on The End of Days.

The Slayer fell in love with the vampire with a soul. She rejoiced in him. The vibration of their bond and love could be felt through dimensions. Then, the true meaning of the curse bestowed on the vampire was known. The Powers cursed and rolled in anger, but nothing could be done for a while. They were Higher Beings and only a human could summon the soul back to the body. The remorseful teacher translated the curse and the young witch cast the spell. Too late though. The vampire with a soul was sent to hell.

His mate suffered, but she had the key to bring him back. Unknowingly, she used it. That was the chance The First was waiting for. The portal that brought Angel back also released enough energy for The First to manifest itself on Earth after millions of years. He thought he could influence the vampire with soul to kill his mate, The Slayer, and be the monster again. The vampire surprised The First this time by refusing to do so and trying to kill himself, which was avoided by a timely snowy intervention of The Powers.

They felt that at that moment a true warrior was born. The vampire didn't know, of course, but The Powers had bowed to him that day. They had admired his determination to no kneel to his human heart wish and to evil. The Powers could feel the warrior need to help others growing, which eventually lead him to leave his mate, influenced also by his believe she should have a normal life.

Today The Powers had bowed to him again when he decided to be a vampire with a soul again so the other warrior, his mate, could live. They could feel, of course, the warrior had done it with his whole heart in it. Not one part of him doubted or regretted what he did.

That was why she was here. She could feel how empty the warrior was. This warrior was so important to their cause and The Powers knew that a soul could take so much. They wanted to give the warrior something.

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Angel couldn't speak when he heard his name being called. He had tears on his face and his throat was closed up with pain. When he saw the Female Oracle there looking at him with nothing but compassion on her eyes, the only thing he could do was nod.

"Warrior. You did something really brave."

Angel cleared his throat and spoke with a hoarse voice.

"There was… there was… nothing brave on it. I… I did what… what I had to do."

"But it hurts?"

"Yes… it… it… does. But if she dies, it will hurt even more. Not only me, but the World."

"What if she dies tomorrow, a year or two after today."

"That won't happen, I… I will not allow that to happen. Why… why are you here? I thought we could talk only in your temple."

"We are, warrior. We can be anywhere. That is a place for the warriors and messengers to find us. If we want to find one of the warriors, we are free to do as we please."

Angel just nodded.

"The Powers feel your soul is broken. They want to grant you something. You have 24 hours to decide. Anything you want beside your humanity."

With that she disappeared.

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**AN.: This is already written. Tomorrow I am going to post the last chapter. **


	2. Angel' POV

**I'm back. Chapter two. This is a big recollection of Angel thinking why The Powers choose him. His view is way different of what The Powers thought. He is trying to decide what to do with his wish.**

**One more chapter to go.**

**So, enjoy.**

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Angel didn't fully register the light faded. The Powers were granting him one wish. What should he do with it?

He remembered how good it was to hold Buffy. Could his Soul be fixed? Why The Powers were offering him this after all?

Angel held his head again. His mind traveled back to that alley almost two hundred and fifty years later. What had The Powers seen in him? Why they had considered him so important?

Back there he was nothing but a drunken excuse of a man. He shamed his family anyway he could. He didn't work. He drank until to pass out. He whored around with the tavern wrenches and the most precious daughters of the most prominent people in the city. He understood what Darla had seen in him back there. Liam was everything a human being should not be. He had no respect for anyone but himself… and his sister. She was the thing he prized the most. She was the first one Angelus had killed.

Angel remembered that Liam was cruel, vindictive and brutal. He knew he was beautiful and used that to bed many respectable daughters around the city. He made love promises and left them behind when he had what he wanted. He had never needed to force himself on any of them because they always flocked around him. He and his friend Darach had spent countless in the tavern with the wrenches. Angel sometimes took more than one of them to one of the taverns rooms. He and his friend got into at least one orgy every week. He was really luck he didn't catch any disease before he was turned. Sometimes, he would take one of wrenches in the same alley he was turned. He would press her against a wall and use her for his delight.

He realized that was probably why Darla had set her eyes on him. His destructive behavior was a beacon for a vampire in search of a mate. He knew it. After he was turned and destroyed the city he lived twenty six years of his life, his demon left with Darla to wreak havoc in all Europe. When Darla found Drusilla and pointed her to his demon, she became his obsession. He found everything there was to know about the young girl. Angelus got excited when he discovered the girl was psychic. She could see the future. He stalked her.

One night she was coming out of a church and he grabbed her when she passed one street. He covered her mouth with his hand, while he used the other one to fondle her under her skirt. She was so horrified of his face that she didn't emit a sound when he fingered her. When she finally came he sucked his finger clean and let her go. After that day, she never went out alone. She was always with her parents or her sisters, but he did catch her again.

His demon should have heard her, but Angelus was too arrogant to believe something beyond his will could control him. He could still remember their talk in that alley.

"What do you want from me? Why… why is a thing like yourself after me? Leave me alone."

Angel pressed Drusilla against the wall and ran a finger over her cheekbones.

"I don't want to leave you alone. You know what you will be, don't you? You know you will be just like me."

"Nooooo."

"Oh yes. You will. You are such a beauty. Wouldn't you want to be like this forever?"

"I will not be like this. I will not be here."

Angel laughed. He loved to hunt and put fear in his special targets. The one he thought he could turn. It was really time for him to have his first child.

"You will."

Angel licked her face. He proceeded to tell her what he would do to her. When he ended Drusilla was shacking and praying. He left her go. She walked out of the alley and from the busy, safe street, she talked to him.

"You may change me, but you will find someone to change you. You will feel human again. You will fall in love with your enemy."

Drusilla had known back there. Centuries before she had known. Her words pissed Angel off so much he decided it was time to punish her. To turn her. Two days late, he killed her family, invaded the convent she was in, killed all the nuns, fucked and turned her.

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Angel remembered every one of his demon victims. He remembered how Angelus killed the family of he best vampire hunter of the Catholic Church. Angelus had violated the man's wife, drained his son, violated and turned his daughter, leaving her behind for Daniel Holtz's to find.

Angel shuddered remembering how the demon had parade with pride for what he had done to that family. Countless others after it. Then, one day he messed with the wrong girl. The gipsy girl. He remembered that days before Drusilla had a seizure and started to say her daddy was going to go away. Nobody could understand much of what she was talking, but she kept saying he was going away.

A week later he was brought into their house blindfolded to find a Gypsy girl. She was his birthday present from Darla. That day Angel was reborn because of the punishing curse. If he closed his eye he could still hear the whimpers of the gagged girl and her fear, as well his and Darla's words.

_**Flashback**_

_"Can I take off this blindfold yet?"_

_"No."_

_"Can I take off something else?"_

_"After I give you your present. You can never have enough of those. Come on."_

_Angelus entered the room and could smell blood, fear and feminine scent. Darla finally removed his blindfold and he saw the gagged girl laying on the floor. _

_"Happy birthday, Angelus."_

_"She is a Gypsy."_

_"I looked everywhere."_

_"What would I do without you?"_

_"Wither and die. She is not just for you. I get to watch."_

_Angelus went on and leaned down over the girl. He pushed her skirt up while she squirmed, then vamped out and bit her thigh while Darla watched._

_**End of flashback**_

Drusilla was proved right. The Soul was put back in the body. At first, Angelus didn't understand anything. He just felt pain and ran around the Gypsy settlement. He had raped the Gypsy girl, drank her dry and left her for her people to find. He stayed around the settlement almost all night long just for the pleasure of watching her people cry.

After a while, he saw some commotion among the Gypsies. An old woman was taken to one of the houses. He gave a small smirk. The woman was possibly suffering too much. If he only knew what was going to happen to him a moment later.

Out of nowhere, Angelus felt something burning his skin. It was painful enough for him to get to his knees. He got up and ran away back to his place with Darla. The pain intensified and he lost track of where he was going. Then, it seemed like the world exploded around him. He fell to his knee when he felt a strong push like something was shoved inside his body. The demon control of the body was finally taken from him.

Angel remembered that when his senses were right he realized he was kneeling on the floor and there was someone in front of him. He didn't remember a thing at first. When he finally looked up, he saw an old man. He asked him if it hurt and told him it would hurt more. That was when the first memory, of killing the Gypsy girl, came back to him. The old man walked away, while he was left behind curled in fetal position in the floor. He had killed.

He had laid there for most of the remaining night, his Soul being washed with the demon actions. He could hear Angelus screaming within him for control, he could feel his hunger too, and wished for the sun to rise so he could die. That was how Spike had found him. He had carried him back to their place. When Darla came back, she smelled his Soul right away. A fight followed and she demanded for him to leave. Not knowing what to do he pledged for her forgiveness and said nothing would change, he was the same. Darla looked at him in disgust, but allowed him to stay in the pack.

When night came again, Darla went to the Gypsy settlement, which was half empty because many of them had moved somewhere away from the misfortune that dropped over them. She had desperately tried to free him of his Soul. She, Spike and Drusilla destroyed the settlement and all the Gypsies they could find in it. She wanted to hunt down all of them, but Spike convinced her that going against the Gypsies could only mean that all of them would have their Souls back. She relented.

Later that day, Angelus had provided him the worst of his memories. His first kill. His beloved sister. Angel snapped, crying, growling, pushing everything around him and tried to kill himself because the sun was still up, but Darla and Spike restrained him. She had promised to help him to be what he was again. Angel stayed in a comatose state for a few days. He remembered it all. Every killing, every rape and all the destruction he did. It was beyond painful and for many times he waited for the sun to rise so he could end it. Then, a certainty settled in his unbeating heart. He was being punished. He still remembered his Catholic time as a human. He remembered what Father said. He knew that if he killed himself, it would be suicide and as such his Soul would go to Hell. He realized he was doomed to suffer no matter where he was. So, he decided to take his punishment on earth. He decided to walk the earth fully knowing what he did… and caring for it each day… and out of cowardice too. He didn't have the strength to kill himself. He felt he should suffer to honor all the ones he had killed. To honor their suffering he should suffer as well.

He stayed with his vampire family. He was ashamed of his actions back there, but he didn't feel strong enough to be alone. More than a century had passed and he didn't have anyone in the world anymore. In the end, after three years of killing only the worst of the worst, Darla finally realized the Soul would not allow Angel to be Angelus. He saved that baby during the Chinese rebellion and left for America. He realized that he couldn't stay with them. He could be that monster again, but what was he?

He had lived among the humans for fifty years or so. Then, some woman betrayed him in a hotel in LA and he stayed away from them. He was still a person though. Then, one day in the seventies, he witnessed a robbery and a man be shot. The man was going to die. The bullet had pierced his aorta and he would be dead in minutes. The blood. It was too much. When he realized what he was doing, he was kneeling over the dying man and sucking him dry.

Angel got so horrified afterwards that he got sick and heaved all the blood out. He stayed days hidden in the place he was in curled in himself. When the fog lifted, he decided to stay away from any human contact. He retired to the sewers in New York for almost a year. Never going up in the world again, living on rats.

In the end, he was the useless homeless hungry demon that Whistler found that faithful day.

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The day he met Whistler, he was dirty, smelled and was hungry beyond reason. He had been afraid of the friendly demon. Whistler talked in riddles and promised a new life. He talked about some Higher Power, a mission, that he was called to help. Angel didn't fully understand what the demon wanted, but he had offered to take him to LA. He accepted because he was tired of his life in New York. In the way to LA, Whistler had disclosured part of what he should do, which got Angel speechless. He was supposed to help the new Slayer.

His demon had raged inside him, rebelling against such a blasphemy. He, The Scourge of Europe, reduced to the Slayer lapdog. That day Angelus finally had begged him to die. Angel and Whistler argued on why the Slayer would need or accept his help. The demon said The Powers thought this Slayer was special because Evil was basically angered around all the dimensions. Angel told him he wouldn't do it. He was not good around people. Whistler relented, but told him he should at least see his charge. So, there he was in that Faithful afternoon. He heard the bell ring and after a while the Slayer-to-be appeared.

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Angel stood outside Hemery High School. His earlier recollections had brought him here. He shocked on his unnecessary breath when he remembered the first time he saw Buffy. He realized that falling in love with a fifteen year old today was a sure way to get to jail, but he had lived outside the world for so long that he didn't have any real knowledge of how this sort of thing could be taken. He just remembered his days in Galway. At fifteen, Buffy would be married and possibly with two children.

Despite everything, he had felt something for that girl. He had felt that pull to help her, to protect her. He couldn't understand what it was because he never felt it before. He had come back to Whistler with his mind changed. Whistler helped him to get nourishment, clothes, fight and even drove him to Sunnydale. To help the tiny girl he even touched the money he had in a bank account so he could rent or buy a place to stay. The money was saved along the century from when he worked occasionally before he voluntarily went into exile.

Buffy came just a month later. He tried to justify his feelings. The urges he had to be around her. At first, he thought it was his demon influencing him to obsess over The Slayer. Then, he thought it was The Soul trying to get to its old ways. One day, he saw her fighting her first vampire in Sunnydale and it clicked. The feelings he was having were not obsession or him trying to get into the girl pants.

It was something else. Something new. Something that made him care for her. Something that told him he would lay down his life for her to be safe. He was in love. He rejoiced that day. For the first time in two and half hundreds of years the vampire thanked whoever was out there that he was alive. Or undead. How would he ever find this girl if he was not turned?

That threw him in a fit of brooding for days. How could her rejoice in such a thing? If he was not turned, William, Drusilla, Daniel Holtz's family, that Gypsy girl would not have died. After discovering his feelings he decided to pack and leave Sunnydale for good. The girl didn't know he existed after all. That was when he heard whispers of the Master. That Darla was in town. Of the Harvest. He could not leave. Not yet.

Then, he had to show himself. The cross. The warnings. The jacket. One day he saved her of The Three. Her room. He was a vampire he could smell her arousal and he knew it was for him. He tried to leave. He gave orders to his feet, but when he looked at her green eyes, it was like his mind shut down completely. They kissed. She discovered.

Then Darla attacked and he killed her. To protect the Slayer. To protect The Woman he loved desperately. The woman who, thanks to Darla, knew of his feelings. They wanted to resist. They said good-bye. He was ready to leave when new rumors on the Master surfaced. He was going to rise. He did. She died.

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In the end, Buffy came back thanks to the boy Angel hated the most, Xander. From that moment, he knew he could not leave. Ever. Suddenly, he had friends. They were her friends, but he knew that apart from Xander, they had considered him a friend too. He tried to stay away from her. He tried to be business-like, but it was a lost cause. A lost cause that in the end cost Jenny Calendar and Kendra's lives. Death caused by him directly or indirectly, since his child killed the other Slayer. A lost cause that caused him to lose the first he ever truly had. A lost cause that caused so much suffering to Buffy and Giles, a man he came to respect as he never did with his father.

Angelus had imagined that hurting the closest person to Buffy would break her. He killed the Gypsy and left her for her lover to find. Angel swallowed hardly and pain shot through his body. He could never ever forgive himself for that, mainly because deep down he felt like he had disappointed his father again. Willow and Giles had been accepting of him. Giles, a Watcher, had treated him, a Vampire, like a person. Giles and Willow had relied on his knowledge to help them to help Buffy. How did he repay them?

Angelus was wrong in the end. The night they finally fought to the death, Angelus and later The Soul finally understood why The Powers thought That Slayer was special. Why Evil was in uproar around the dimensions. He was proud of who Buffy became, although it hurt ot think that one beautiful night was turned into a nightmare that ended with the woman he loved having to kill him to Hell to save the world. He came back, but nothing was the same. Nothing could be the same.

With this colorful past, he didn't understood why The Powers had selected him. Why him? His past and his present were witness to the unworthy being he was. Why These Powers decided to put in his dirty hands the safety of his mortal enemy?

Well. He didn't know, but he had a chance. He had a chance to make sure his demon was never back again. He had the chance to make something right. He knew exactly what to do.

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**So, what do you think Angel decided to do? Recollections of this life could make him decide to do several things. Like turn back time again so he would not be turned or never come to Sunnydale or treat Buffy business like so she wouldn't fall in love with him or glue his soul in his body. What more he could do?**

**Just so you know… the next chapter will be set before Willow cast the spell in Something Blue. So, no spell-induced Buffy Spike kissage. Argggg….**


	3. Full of Grace

**So, here it is. Last chapter.**

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"Are you sure?"

"Well… I was fighting them, Giles!"

Giles pointed to a figure in one of his books.

"Here. Is this it?"

Buffy looked at the picture.

"Yep. That is it. Ugly fella. He smelled funny too."

"Oh dear!"

Giles took his classes and cleaned it frantically.

"Giles… Giles… Oh dear what? Giles!"

"Huh? Oh… Sorry."

"So, what do you know?"

"Buffy. The demon you fought is a Vahrall. They are worshippers of caos. I don't like this. I…"

Giles and Buffy turned to the door when an insistent knock was heard. Both Slayer and Watcher exchanged a look and Buffy mentioned for Giles to stay while she was going to open it. She had a big surprise.

"YOU! WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

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"Buffy… what?..."

Buffy heard Giles gasp behind her when she took two steps from the door and he could see who was at it.

"Giles… give me a sword."

Buffy crossed her arms and looked at the being in front of her.

"You can't kill it, Buffy."

"I don't care! I want it gone."

Giles was looking petrified to his door. He wouldn't be able to move to save his life.

"Giles! "

"Buffy… Giles… what is…"

"Shut up! Why don't you go play your games away! I don't have time for you right now. You told me I can't fight you, but right now I don't care. You hunted my lo… you will not get to him"

"Giles…? I don't… understand…"

Giles's knees finally gave up and he fell. Both women turned to him.

"Giles!"

"Rupert!"

They ran to help an almost passed out Giles. Buffy looked at the woman hovering frantically over Giles, while he touched her.

"Jenny. You… you are alive."

He fainted. Buffy held his head and looked straight at the very much alive gypsy.

"Oh my God! You… you are… how?"

"I did it!"

Both women turned around to see one dark vampire standing at the door.

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_**Two hours later**_

_Angel had come back from the pier with a decision made. _

_When he entered his apartment, he went straight to the bed he had shared with Buffy. After he laid down, he wrapped himself in the bedsheets closing his eyes for a moment. He could remember the taste of her lips. He signed when he remembered how one touch made them jump from the mature talk to each other on the kitchen table. He remembered how they had ripped apart each other clothes so they could get the contact they wanted. He shuddered when he remembered how they had moaned when he first thrust home, both of them feeling complete. He smiled when he remembered the moment the kitchen table gave up and they had ended on the floor laughing their breath out. How Buffy had then sized his head for a heated kiss._

_He recalled how Buffy's hair was sprawled on his bed while they made love just hours before. He could still feel her warm body cradling him inside. He could still feel her walls pulsing around him while they climaxed. _

_For a moment he questioned his choice, but he knew that Buffy would be happy in the end. He knew he couldn't be happy with her over what he had done to her all those months ago when he was soulless. Short of hurting Buffy herself, his demon had chosen the second best thing. He had killed the woman who was trying to curse him again. For his delight, the said woman was also one member of the slayer's gang. His demon knew he would hurt her deeply by hurting her Watcher._

_Angel had killed with his soul, but Jenny's death had been the one he regretted the most. He would use his wish to bring her back, if he could bring her back the way she was. The problem was how to call the Oracle again._

_He had just finished his thoughts when the Female Oracle appeared before him._

"_I see you have reached a decision."_

"_How…"_

"_We know everything. Are you sure of what you decided?"_

"_Yes. I am. Can it be done?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Will she be the same?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Do it."_

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_**A moment in time**_

_Jenny ran right into a waiting Angelus. She screamed when he grabbed hold of her. He chuckled and looked into her face. He put one hand behind her head and touched her lips with the fingers of the other hand. _

"_Sorry, Jenny, this is where you get off."_

_He got head to twist her head and snap her neck when she disappeared._

"_Damn Gypsy." _

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"Angel… I… what are you doing…? You said we should… should forget. What is… what is going on?"

Buffy sat on the floor holding Giles's head. She looked confused from Angel to the resurrect Jenny and to Giles.

"Jenny…"

Giles whispered reverently.

"Rupert!"

Giles was waking up, but when he heard her voice, he avoided opening his eyes. It was a dream. It had to be. She couldn't be alive. It was The First again. It had to be. The thing could assume any deceased form he wanted. He knew it.

Then, he had felt her. She was solid. Warm. Alive. She had knocked at the door. The First should not be able to do that. Was he dead? Maybe The First had done something and killed them. If so, he didn't want to wake up.

But he was wake. He heard the other voice in the room. Angel. What was Angel doing here?

"I did something and The Powers…"

"The Powers?"

Everyone looked at Giles who was wake and staring at the vampire.

"Yes. It is a long story, Giles… but I work for them…"

"Good God! I've heard of them. They are ones of the beings responsible for keeping the light side strong on the battle of Good x Evil. They recruit only beings they found worth… You work…"

"They gave me one wish, Giles."

Buffy's eyes went wide when her mind grasped what he had done.

"And… and… you decided to…"

"Yes, Buffy."

Giles stood up with Jenny help and embraced her.

"What do you remember?"

"I was… Angelus was going to kill me. He was… held my head and was going to twist it. I was sure that I'd die… and then… then… nothing. I was alone in the same spot. I got the scare of my life when I realized that I was in the school's ruins. I just came straight here."

Angel realized what she had said. Then, a new set of memories crept inside his mind. His demon had been furious when Jenny had disappeared. Maybe, their past was being altered because she didn't die.

"So, they brought you from there. I thought… I thought they would revive you or something."

Buffy got up and walked towards him. She stood in front of Angel with eyes full of unshed tears.

"You could have fixed…"

"I know. I could… I'm sorry."

"There is… there is nothing to be sorry… sorry about. What you did…"

Buffy didn't finish what she was going to say because she couldn't hold her sobs anymore. Then, she felt that protective circle again. She was in her Angel's arms again.

She knew a part of her should be angry with him, but a bigger one was relieved that Jenny was alive again. Jenny's death had been a constant reminder of how bad of a Slayer she was. How her lack of strength to finish Angelus off and her need to try to bring Angel back had cost the Gypsy's life and her Watcher's unhappiness. She knew that Giles had never blamed her, but she did.

It was her death that had finally made her realized that Angelus was wearing the face of the man she loved forever. Not knowing there were the disks, she felt her Angel couldn't be brought back. Sometimes, she wished Jenny hadn't translated the curse. She would be alive and she would not have been forced to send her Angel to hell. Angelus would have been the one rotten there.

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Giles had stood up and held a confused Jenny, while seeing the suffering of his charge and the man she loved. He realized why so long ago he had never really made any effort into separating them. His rational side had despise the notion that a vampire could be good and even love someone, but after knowing the tale of Angelus and Angel, a part of him knew he was a good man. He finally understood what she had seen in him.

He had sacrificed his happiness to do what he did. Giles suspected that whatever he had done to please The Powers, it had to be something huge for them to grant him a wish like this.

Buffy felt her heart torn into pieces again. How much could she take of this? Say good-bye to Angel twice in the curse of 24h. That was a nightmare. These Powers, however they were, were trying to play with them for their amusement. Then, to her horror, Angel suddenly gasped.

"Angel, what is it?"

"I don't… no, no… not now…"

"Angel!"

"I think I… Buffy… get… away…"

Angel fell to the floor and writhed in pain. Jenny immediately hid behind Giles, while Buffy looked to her Watcher with horror written over her face. Angelus. Angel was losing his soul.

"Giles. Take Jenny and go to Willow. She has everything with her. NOW!"

"Buffy… I can't leave you alone…"

"NOW!"

Buffy was trembling and Angel was still convulsing on the floor. Giles was just at the door when a bright light appear in his room. Everyone covered their eyes and when the light faded, the Female Oracle was standing in the room.

"My God! You are… you are an Oracle."

"Ahhh!"

Buffy crushed and held Angel, who was still in pain.

"Buf.. Buffy… away. You have to go. I feel my soul…"

The pain was unbearable. Angel remembered how it was the first time and now was a lot more painful. It was like someone was twisting a knife in his chest. His body felt like fire.

"Don't worry, Warrior."

Buffy turned around. She had the distinct impression the toga woman had something to do with it.

"What did you to him? WHAT DID THEY DO TO HIM?"

"Don't affront me, insolent being."

"I am going to kick your ass back to Powerland if you didn't tell me what is happening."

The Female Oracle regarded Buffy with a mixture of annoyance and admiration. She could feel the worry coming from the greatest female warrior of all times for her mate. Humans.

"His soul is being granted to him."

Buffy turned to Angel in time to see that same yellowish light she had seen in the mansion go through them. Then, he went limp in her arms for a moment. He was a little feverish, which was odd for a vampire, and was taking shallow unneeded breaths, with great puffs of air coming in and out.

"Buffy…"

He whispered and Buffy caressed his face. He had sweat all over his face.

"Shsh. I am here. Everything is all right."

"What… what happened?"

"Ask her."

Angel looked to the direction Buffy was looking and found The Female Oracle.

"Warrior. You soul was given to you. There is no more curse."

"But I thought…"

"The Powers were yet again impressed with you."

"But they granted me a wish."

"Yes. Instead of fixing what was wrong in your life, you decided to fix what was wrong in someone else's life."

She looked meaningfully to Giles.

"I didn't do it in search of anything."

"The Powers know that. Since it seems you are not going to fix your soul in anyway, they decided to step in. They believe that if your soul is safe you can be a much more useful warrior. A dark time lies ahead for the both of you."

"Together we are stronger."

"Yes."

He and the Oracle exchanged a meaningful stare before she disappeared.

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Angel was laying in Buffy's bed. Her mother was gone to LA to receive some new art shipment. He was thankful for that small favor because he was exhaust and not able at all of face the woman.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

Buffy came back from the bathroom wearing her pajamas.

"I feel like someone put a knife in my chest and twisted it."

Angel immediately regretted what he said when Buffy paled.

"I'm sorry."

"No. It is ok. I did it."

"You did and I am proud of you."

"Angel…"

"No. I realize we never talked about it. It is not your fault. I know why you did. Buffy, I am proud you had the courage. I don't know if I would have the strength…"

"You would. You did."

"What are talking about?"

"The thing you did that impressed these Powers of yours. You gave up your life… you _human_ life… for me and the world. I remember, Angel."

Angel gasped.

"I... how? You were not supposing to."

"I don't know. Your wish may have messed up with the previous one. Who knows?"

"You are not angry."

"I was, but then it seemed you were changing into Angelus again. Then, your soul was fixed and I realized that everything worked for the best."

Buffy laid down in the other side of her bed, but she made no try to come close to Angel.

"When are you going back?"

"I don't know. That depends…"

"On what?"

"On how much time I will need to get this girl I love to have me back into her life."

Buffy swallowed, but didn't say anything at first.

"What do you think she will do?"  
"I don't want to know what she will do. In the end, I'll be back in her life."

"She may not want to have her heart broke again."

"I am not planning on doing it again."

"She may not want you anymore."

"Oh… I know for a fact she wants me as much as I want her."

"Angel…"

"Buffy, I know that I broke your heart. I thought I was doing the best for you. The things I told you were important to me. You should have a normal life, Buffy. I can't offer you a lot of things, but my real reason was that I was always afraid I'd lose my soul again because everything moment I had with you was pure happiness. I didn't know how much happiness was needed to break the curse. For all I know, a simple smile could do it. I couldn't become that monster again. I couldn't expose you and your friends to that monster again. If I had to do it again I'd do it."

"I know. I mean… I understand."

"I want a chance for us. I want to make it work this time. I can't come back because I have my obligations in LA. I'll travel as much as I can. I hope you think you can do it too. I just don't want to be without you again. It hurts too much."

When Angel finally looked at Buffy's eyes, they were full of unshed tears.

"I'm sorry. I always make you cry. Do you want me to go?"

"No. I want you to stay. Forever. I want to make it work too."

"Buffy, I love you."

"I love you too."

Angel pulled Buffy into his arms. Angel had tried to negate the obvious. The Mohra, The Powers, The Oracles, but mainly his Buffy, they all knew they were supposed to be together. That day he finally understood that.

Angel knew that they were mean to be. They would be unstoppable. They would deal with this dark time that was coming.

They were finally together.

Forever.

That was the whole point.

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**AN: That it, folks! I hope you liked the ride.**

**Just so you know. Jenny's removal of the canon timeline at that moment didn't change the outcome that much. The Oracle took Jenny from her death moment, but in my season 2, everything would go exactly as it went on the show. Jenny disappeared. Due to the destruction in her lab, everyone will think she left or that Angelus killed her. Angelus would brag he had killed her anyway when he realized the teacher was not around. That would still convince Buffy her Angel was gone forever. Angelus would play with Acathla. Willow would find the disk, curse Angel and Buffy would have to kill him. **

**From the moment in this fic, the Scoobies will have two sets of memory. **


End file.
